Students at Bridgewater-Raritan High School protest budget cuts

BRIDGEWATER — Students 30-to-75 in number are protesting at Bridgewater-Raritan High School against the proposed cut of the current 9-period school day to an 8-period day, according to an e-mail received today from Superintendent Michael Schilder.

Schools have been receiving phone calls and emails today, Schilder said, regarding the protest that started this morning and has continued into the afternoon.

According to the superintendent’s e-mail, the protest was organized by the students, signs were made by students, and the media was called by the students.

The high school principal asked them to stop and informed them that normal disciplinary action for cutting classes would be carried out. A few inappropriate signs were removed. The school requested police presence to make sure no one is violating the law or injured.

The high school administration is supporting the students’ right to free speech only.

“In no way has the high school staff initiated, encouraged, or supported the protest itself, as has been suggested by some of the phone calls I’ve received and apparently reported on the radio.” Schilder said. “Our stance right now is to allow them to express themselves and not have them arrested by police. The media will be kept off school property.”

“Most importantly, everyone is behaving in an orderly manner and all are safe,” Schilder said